Malus sylvestris crab apple trees

Check pollinators >

• Self-fertility: Self-fertile

Malus sylvestris is the common English or wild crab apple, native to the UK and Europe.

It features the typical pink / white apple blossom in spring, followed by small green / yellow fruitlets in the autumn.

Malus sylvestris trees typically reach around 4m high and almost as wide. 

Malus sylvestris is easy to grow and makes a good choice for shelterbelts and native planting, and for encouraging wildlife. It is easy to grow, and tolerates most conditions, and responds well to coppicing.

Malus sylvestris crab apple trees for sale

History

Malus sylvestris is believed to be one of the forerunners of the modern cultivated apple - Malus domestica.

Malus sylvestris characteristics

British-grown trees

Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK. Find out more.

In addition, all our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. The scheme aims to improve UK biosecurity by setting standards for all growers and retailers involved in selling plants in the UK. Find out more

Guaranteed fruit trees

When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden whilst it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund - subject to some conditions. Find out more.

More about crab apple trees

We have a huge range of crab-apple trees, with blossom colours from white to dark crimson, and fruitlet colours from red to orange to yellow, and lots of different sizes and forms.

It is well-known that many crab-apples (especially the ones with white blossom and green leaves) are excellent pollinators for mainstream apple varieties. This is because they produce huge quantities of pollen, usually over a long period, and with good compatiblity. Evereste, Golden Gem, Golden Hornet, John Downie and Red Sentinel are popular for this purpose.

While crab-apples are primarily used for their ornamental value, many are also useful for crab-apple jelly, and providing natural pectin for cooking with.  Have a look at Laura, Jelly King, Pink Glow, and Harry Baker.